title: Worker health and safety training: assessing impact among responders.
abstract: A mail survey was conducted among emergency responders who received training at the New Jersey/New York Hazardous Materials Worker Training Center. Responses indicate that technical topics are extremely important (i.e., decontamination, personal protection); that the vast preponderance of trainees felt confident in their ability to recall specific critical concepts in a crisis; and that 42% of respondents (75) had experienced an incident that would have resulted in injury or death without training. Phone surveys for details of specific incidents reported by 43 of the 75 mail survey respondents revealed that anecdotal data provide powerful evidence of the value of training; that extensive and uniform training is needed across jurisdictions; that training should emphasize the technical aspects of health and safety, and should include demonstration and hands-on techniques; and that integrated organizational support for implementation of health and safety practices is critical.
authors.affiliation: New Jersey/New York Hazardous Materials Worker Training Center, Department of Environmental and Community Medicine, Piscataway, USA.
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Weidner
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Gotsch
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Delnevo
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McDonald
mesh_terms: D003666:Decontamination; D004630:Emergencies; D004634:Emergency Medical Technicians; D005260:Female; D005390:Fires; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training; D008297:Male; D009515:New Jersey; D009518:New York; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D016272:Occupational Health; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D016134:Organizational Policy; D016495:Police; D012449:Safety; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D013672:Technology; D013689:Telephone; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D015386:Hazardous Substances